Manchester United are in crisis after their defeat to Chelsea on Saturday afternoon extended their winless run in all competitions to nine matches.

After a relatively promising first half for the Red Devils at Stamford Bridge, they fell apart in the second period. Morgan Rogers' wonderful solo goal opened the scoring five minutes after the break, before Lisandro Martinez's red card and Cole Palmer's resulting penalty left Michael Carrick's side in a perilous position.

The result saw United slip to 17th in the Premier League table, level on points with 18th-place Crystal Palace. Inevitably, this lowly standing has resulted in hysteria circulating around Old Trafford, and Carrick is expected to lose his job at some point in the near future.

While there is certainly plenty to be concerned about, United supporters should take some solace from sections of the performance in West London; there could just be a light at the end of this dark tunnel.

Man Utd Were Good in the First Half vs Chelsea

Chelsea haven't exactly made Stamford Bridge a fortress this season. Hull City secured a point at the home of the Blues back in September, while a struggling Tottenham Hotspur beat Xabi Alonso's men in SW6 just a week ago.

Nevertheless, the West Londoners still sit inside the Premier League's top five and are a competent outfit. Outplaying them on their own patch for a half isn't insignificant, and this is exactly what United managed to do on Saturday.

For 45 minutes, the Red Devils were completely on top. They contained Chelsea well, limiting them to 0.44 expected goals, whilst they were threatening themselves, creating 1.15 xG.

Matheus Cunha was unfortunate to have a goal ruled out for a marginal offside, while the Brazilian had a great chance to score minutes before this incident. Meanwhile, Amad Diallo spurred a clear-cut opportunity in transition, in one of a series of dangerous attacks that involved the Ivorian.

United got plenty of joy carving through Chelsea's fragile midfield, while they did a much better job preventing access to central areas in and around their own box than they have done in recent matches, using Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba as dogged defensive midfielders in front of the back four.

On another day, they go ahead in the first half and are able to sit back and absorb pressure in the second half, playing in a compact low block — which Chelsea notoriously aren't effective at breaking down.

First Half Display Gives Man Utd Hope

It's a bleak time at Old Trafford, so searching for any glimpses of positivity or hope will help keep their supporters sane. There was certainly enough to be enthused about in the opening 45 minutes.

They cannot hide from the fact that things unravelled in the second half. Once Chelsea took the lead, United had no response. Their players buckled under the pressure, continuing to show that they struggle to deliver in the face of adversity.

These are huge concerns that are going to persist even if Carrick is dismissed. However, the first half showed that United can compete when their players are on it. They have enough talent to mix it with the better sides in the league, and if they can find a manager with greater tactical acumen than Carrick, and one who can fix their mentality issue, then they have reason for optimism.

The team isn't entirely broken. Santos and Baleba can function well together as a defensive force against the better teams. Cunha and Amad are threats when you get them in space in transition. Bruno Fernandes can't be deemed finished just yet, even if his performances have been below par this term.

In the midst of a dark time for United, there is still hope that they can find a way to stablise the ship and enjoy a relatively successful season.